Prepayment mechanism.



Unsinn ELECTRIC COMP fili; Y,

Specification o Letceis .i J. aterrtecprix i6, E907'.

Application filed lilly 30, lSOe. iciisl lin. 218.996,

To ttl?, zii/wut 'it' muy concern:

. i -on show .t poition ci' the Bc it known that i, Joux E, iicnnnm., t is :i psp y@tive View of citizen ci the United States, icsidingv ct' the alttdns how in Fig. 2. iig. 5 is n sec- Schsnectndy, countyoi" Schenectady, Stato tionon thc i `of Fig. l looking in tlicdi- '5 of New York, lic-ye invcntod certain ncivsnd iclc-tion'o arrows difectcd to said line.

useful Improvements in iic syincnt ileclt- Fig. is section on thc line (i ol Fig. i 6o nnisins, olf which. the iollowii g is it spcciiimivit-,wed from thc direction indicatedv by thc tion. ons applicd to 'thc l' (i 6. Eig. .7 is o.

My present invontion iclitcs to picnnyp i tiul scc'tionfil plain on the lino 7 7 of Fig. 5;

.c .nient nicchnnisins, and inoie partie-ulm to und lC S is an elevation with parts broken proptyincnhelccti'c-inctci mechanism. und v ny and in section, shofifin the opeiution 65 compi s n'ienns xi'licichy the ineter-s itch ol' the moans which peinnts the opening of :nifty he opened oi) closed at will by the conA thc switch. sinner as long as the electric cluicnt. cncigy, Tho cons'tuction shown on the drawings is :v 5 o? thc like paid for oy tho coins oi.' tokens desuhstnntiztll y the sumo us, that disclosed in posited ienniins unconsunied.' 'uitchlo :.nithe gstellt to Holden, No. 782,028, dated 7c tonnitic means are i ioyidcd 'for opening thc llelnunry i', 1905, for improvements in coinsiti tch when the oncgy of thc like paid foi) 'treed clectiic motors', eccut ns the suine is .has heen consumed and for preventing its niicdiied .by the s'ldition ci' iny present inzo subsequent closure until thc deposit in the volition.

device ci another coin, tolicn, oi* the like. lei'eiring to thcdinwings, l ieprcsents a 7 Vwrith incclicnicnl switches oi the tygc ordicasing inclo prepaymentmechanism nm'ily used for thc purpose in inind the is and sin elett. nictci' inthe construction liability oi the parts sticking` it the switch is i shown the nietei' 2 is an ampere-hour 1notor- 25 ullowcd to ienntin in .the closed position iioi instel'. The shaft 3 ci the instel.' through a,

long intervals, as may bc tho onse with pic* suitable f gearing si drives a geur 8o payment incclninisnis in which a. suhscfuent Wheel 5. nwe "j air-flisol 5 and c concencoin or token may ce inserted bc'loie the ti mounted gent-wheel G are coupled eigy or the like pufchcscd by the p t to toi'in an epicycloidogl train by a 3o lcoin has heen consumed. "il," ith t 11, vhea-:l 7, which inouited on a, radial nient niccha-i'iisin squipped with iny oi post 8, ...Lcd hy 9, conc/cn* 85 tion tho switch can bc used as incin switch tr'cslly mounted with cspect-to the genrby the consumer and can be opeictcd :it ewheels 5 and G. quent intervals by an inspectol` oi the coni- `t itl, ,ioui'nzi-lecl in the Wall of the 3 5 pony fuinisliiizig cuiient or by the ccllectoi fl provided cx'teiolyoi' the csswho rcinoyes the coins deposited, oyen opstating-handle il, carries in- 9o though the consumer docs not ope-rato it hiinside the casing n coin coirier o1 liolfle l2. soll", 'This insures operation ci c switch 'A suitable coin or chockv -13 ,inserted in thc 'frequently enough to prevent sticking. casing tlncugn slot 1.3 is trans- 4.o ln oidei that niy invention inni' he he* toi' initt oy c chute iff-l to s ve/ess formed 'for .under-stood, i have liccinn; illusticted in 'the cin', .,f Upon the 95 and described in detcil one ioi'ni in which it in i t 'ion olY the handle il the coin i3 nitty he embodied. it will. lic obvious, liowwill engage the .troc end oi the lever l5, pii over, to ill skilled in the :itt that my ivein *e* 45 'tion is capchlcol" use in n -ny dii hodiincnts snc ici othei` 'purpose' mo shown in thc 'pi' sont onse.

@i thc dziw'nb Figui@ 'l :in clem] and dizigisin oi' it prepayment oh 5o equipped with iny invcntion, with n coicipitite of tho casing and ccitcii'i elements rc @sind l? picvents .iixfi'id i'otction of ic inoycd. 2 is c View slim dctnils oi the .oisans tot pfcyenting Erotici-1 cdc moveincnt oi' the opeinting element. Fig. 3 is c indicated hy is in t ic di the arrows in ing. 'l

fio

' with s projection 42.

The nrotation of the gear-wheel produced by the meter-shalt is in the opposite direction. lt will thus he seen that the rotation oi the gear-wheel will, through the gearwheel 7, move the disk 9 in the direction. indicated by the arrows, while the rotation oi' the gear-wheel by the. meter will move the disk 9 in the opposite direction.

The shalt 10 has .secured to it inside the meter-casing :in eceentrically-inounted ceindisli 2U. il plete 2l, pivoted to n shaft 22, carried hy the nietcr-czsing, is formed with e slot 23, with the walls oli which the esmdislr 2l engages, so that the rotation of the shaft l() will, through the cani-disk 20, oscillete the plete 2i about the shelt 22. Ein erin 2st, also pivoted to the shaft 22, carries o circuit-controlling device in the form of e switch-blade 25. "W hen the switch-blade 25 is in the position shown in l'ull lines in Fig. 5 end dotted lines in Fig. 6, it electrically consects contacts 26 and 27. A helical spring 28 tends to hold the firm 24 ond switch-blade 25 in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6.'

in erm 29, pivoted to the erm 24 stthe point 30, is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 against e stop 31 by s. weight 32, carried hy an extension from the erin 29, 'An arm 33, pivoted to the erm 29 and supporting s. pin 35, is normally held in the position relative to .the erin 29 (sl'iown best in Fig. 8) hy o stop Bel and spring 35.

in this position of the erin 33 the pin 36 is,

in position to he engaged bythe'lower end oic the plate-21. 4

A leent lever 40, pivoted et Lthis provided The lever 4() is so proportioned that gravity. holds the projection 42 in s notch or recess 4-3 in .the periphery of the disk 9 when the latter is in the position assumed when the consumer has no credit in' the device. `When the disk 9 is rotated ewey from the rio-credit position, the projection 42 slides up on the periphery oi the disk 9 end the lever li() is turned on its exis. A portion 40 of the lever 4() engages the upper end of the erin 29 and locks it in the position relative to the switch-blade erm 24, (shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 8,) when the projection 42 is out of the notch. 43'. lil/hen the projection 42 drops into the recessor notch 43', however, the portion 40 :moves out of the position in which it locks to the switcharmi24. A hoolr. 40, carried by en extension of the lever 40, limits the tilting; movement oi' lthe erm29..

The circuit connections of the'reter shown are as follows: '50 end 51 represent the mein current-cerrying'leads of the supply system. rilhe conductor 50 is connected to s. bindingpost 52. Conductors 5S end 54, of which thefitorrner may lie e fuse, connect the 'hindingost 52 to the switch-contact 27. A conductor 55, 'which may include a resistence J5 and e fuse 57, connects the switchcontact member 2G to e binding post or tor ininel 5S. A fconductor 59, lending from the termine-l 58, cooperates with the conductor 51 to supply current to the consuming devices, which may consist ol lznnps (50. A conductor 61 connects one brush ol the ineter to the switch-contact 26. The other brush ol the meter is connected to the l'use 57 by e conductor 62. .lt will be observed that in the meter shown the armature ol' the meter is in shunt., to the resistance 56, which carries the current passing through the consuinption-circnit.

Assuming the initielposition ol' the opperstns to he that in which the projection Li2 .rests in the notch 43 and the consumer has no credit in the device, upon the insertion ot' the coin and the rotation ot' the shaft 10 in the direction indicated by the fir-rows in Fig. 5 thel oscillation of the lever l5 will move the disk 9 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. i in the manner hereinbel'ore described. rIhis will immediately move the projection 42 out of the notch 43, endtherehy lock the arm 29 to the switch-blade erm 24. .The rotation of the shaft 10 through the comdisk will cause the plete 21 to engage the pin 36. This engsgement oi' the plete 2l and pin l36 when the arm 29 is locked to the switch-binde arm 24 'will move the switchblade from the open position into the closed position. A hook 45, pivotcd to the casing, thereupon engages the pin 36 to hold the switch-blade in its closed position against the action of the spring 2S.

The parts are so proportioned that the switch-blade is moved into its closed position before the cam-disk 2() has given .the inexirnum forward movement to the plete 2l. A member At6,secnred to the casing and provided with en undersloping com-surface 47, is so placed that when the plete 21 is given. its maximum forward movement by the disk 20 the4 surface 47 will engage the pin 36, forcing the letter below the lower edge oi the plete 21 and out of engagement with the hook 45, thus releasing the switch-erin e both from the hook 45 -and the plete 21. When this occurs, the switch will he opened` by the spring 28.

Unless the switch-blade is opened by the engagement of the pin 36 and the member 46 the switch-blade will remain in the closed position'nntil the movement ol' the meter returns the disk 9 to its initial position, thus canceling the credit purchased by the coin or coins-previously inserted, whereupon the projection i2 will drop into the notch i3 and 'the lever 40 will move out of the position in which it locks the arm 2Q to the 'erin 2 4. When thls occurs, the spring 28 will canse thc pin 36, which is above the pivotal oint 'of the erm 29, to be turned about t 1e point 30 until it is moved below the position in which it engages the hook end the plete IOS liO

' ivee bi1.

y pe e sho 773 nii/ii iiie pio ese.

21, whereupon the switch-Made 25 wili ie moved to its open position by the spri The siniit 10 eariies u. disk pro ied with .ratchet-teeth 66 on a. portion of iis pe.- ripiieiy; A pwi 6'? cooperates with those A 'pivoted member 68 is provided with pins or eeione 70, which me edixped 'so engage opgosiie otiiepn 67. The inembei 58, Wiiion eaiies a Weight 69, een moved 'fiom the )esition shown in Fie: 5, 1nicii ene 'Weiviit is to tiie right oi the Veriiooi iine, through its point of pivo'mi support to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4i, where tiieiweigiit 69 is to the ieit of 'fiiis line. ifi/nen the member 5S is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the mwi 6? is in position io the i'a'eiiei-tee'zii (5:3 sind Ple'vent i'oeion of the sha' i0 in a diree- 'tion opposite to that, siioi. n infine. :i1-iov.' in Fig. 2; but' when ii-iie member (Se) is moved into the position shown in Fie. 5 the pani 6? is heid out oi engagement with the tee'ii 6G by the iower pin '70.

The shown in Fig. 2 are in ine iniiai position in Wixieii tile siot in the eointeiiiei is in line with die coin-Chute. The 'pziwi 67 is then in posiion to Cooperate with the teeii @6 fin/i prevent any backward rotation oi' the snii: i0 unLii the coin-earner has moved into the position .in which the eoin is diseiioiged und ifie sWiteii-bifido ixus been locked in the oies position by the engagement o' die iiooi; i-.5 und pin 5 AL this ei" iorinofi on the peiipiieiy oi the disk 5o engages die pewi 67 and i'orees it against the. upper pin oi' pioieetion-/"O to move the member from the position shown in Fig. ai to the. position shown in Fig. 5`.- The siiaii'i i0 may theieaitei be tui'nefi in die forward d iieoiiion ifo ieiease the swiiehbinde oi' may be .imiui'ned to its initial posi tion.

fi member 7o, ofi'ried bythe :iisi.(j5, is so loca-ted to engage piojoeyion 74. on the pemi 6T :md ieiee it into ei'ig'agemeni; wipi the Leetii 66 .iiienevei the siiziif'b 10 is turned in ,f ,iler direc/Lion into the position in which the mombei 73 and ine, projeeiion 'Z4 en;

The downwind movement oi the pznvi 67 ni'odneed by 4une engagement oi' iiie membei ion 74, moves the mem- 'bei (Sinio ino pos ionsiiown in it, Wii ifims be seen that upon 'Une insoi'tioii of com in @pointus die eemn n my; posiiiion inio the eoinfdisoiiei'sj ng po.. non Wille oni; any ieti'vi .de n'iovemeni, ont indi, n.'

ne eein is eiosed i;

isc' ged find Une switch e iumoie may open die switch or may be ieiin'ned io iniiini position. After return izo iii. nini l osiiion ifiie oi eintion may be repented es oiien' ii is di 1ed izo pinoiiose eredii. ivy ilu inseiiion oi coins. The nmouni of credit which een iiefpuieimsed et my one ime depends. of course, upon the numbenoif aetueeions of the ieoi 15, which nee/esA smy to give o complete oi' sniistimtiuliy complete infn io the disk i).

it xviii 'be obvious to all those siiiiied in the mi. that many changes may be. made in the foini oi" my invention without deimiting from its spirit, end i do not wish the claims iiei'eineiiei' mede to be, inniied io the pai-T- tionifon embodimeni` oi my inventimi diseiosed moi'e than mode. necessary by the siete. of the drin.

wi/duit oiziim new, and. desii'eio seeu'ie in* Letten f "etent of the {,iiiitod Sintes,

i. in e, piepsyment mechanism, u, mm,L aide member, :i switch, a` eredii-piii zii:isiiig mechanism, eonneeiiions beineen said-meehnnism7 sniieii and member ni'ie L'eiiy im inii'izii movementoi the member an ,er the insertion oi' o coin niii omiso seid meeimnism izo be operated, and subsequent movements of the membei' .iiiioui the ins yion oiz oiiiei' (foins will conse i'iie swiie be opened :ind closed wi'biio'u opeioting d meeiuiniiism.

2. in eoiniiinoifion, a, switch, a @edit-pureiiasing 'meeiginnisim :nid n movobie meiiiiiei arranged. izo eiose said swiieh and operaie said credit mechanism on its iniiini movement and to open and close smid switch on its 'further moyement es long :1s the origine-.i

in eomivineion, switch, e erediiepnn einising mechanism, movable member orionged 'lio lciose said switch and operate said oiodit mechanism on its initio-i movement sind to open and eiose seid switch on its iuiiiiei movement es iong es ihe original o'i'edit iemnins miexiionsbed, and means ioi preventing; n ietiogimie movement until iie 'initial mmememy oi" 'the movoi e member is Completed. A i

Li. in combination, :i movs'bie member, :i credit-puieinising meoimnism opeiaieii by on iniiiai movemeni.` oi the member :iitei ihein seiiion of o eein, o. swiiei'i opened by o iui'- iziiei ,inoven'ient of iiiie member, means for preventing :i i'eii'ogmde nioveinenil of die member prior. io completion of said init-.iai movement, md ineens foi ziiion'ing' L i'etio? gg'nde movement o.' die member ai'izei' the eonmieiion of' 'the iniiiii movement of ihe memiiei' sind before Liie swiieii has moved inifo iiie swiiehmp nini;A posii'ion.

5. in eoniiiinniion, u. eoi'isumpiion-eiienii, si. swieii eoniioiiing seid eiieuiiz, mommi :fu'finziied opei'niing means foi' opening' und eosine the swiieii noimfdiy diseimneeied iiwi'en'oln, and n. mepzijfnienn medium.. Wiiieii permits iiie switch io be opened :md dosed by fiie 'ipeieiin means is long; :is credit eoiieszpomiing ilo 'ine eoin deposited remains in in@ device.

in an eieeii'ie pieimymeni devine, o movzibie switch member, e. nmnueIilv-:ieiau- 'med shaft, and eoin-eoni'roiled inezins'for ICO connecting,` the shaft and switch member, the connection between the shaft and switch member being such that a partial rota-tion of the shaft will move the switch into the closed position and a further movement of the shaft will move the switch member into an open position without canceling the credit purchased in the device by the previous insertion of coins.A

7. ln an electric prepayment device, a switch, credit-purchasing means, a manually-actuated means for moving thel creditpurchnsing means on the insertion of a coin, valuecanceling' means tor returning the credit-purchasing means to its original position, and ineens controlled by the position of the credit-purchasing meansfor operatively connecting the manually-actuated means and the switch.

8. in combination, a consumption-circuit, a-switch controlling said circuit, manuallyactuated operatingmeans for the switch, and coin-controlled means for connecting the switch and operating means upon the insertion oi a coin so that the switch may be opened or closed at will.

9. ln an electric prepayment mechanism, a switc i, actuating means therefor, and coincontrolled means for rendering said actuating means operative to open or close the switch at will while credit purchased by the insertion et' one or `more coins remains unconsumed.

10. in an electric re a 'ment mechanism a switch, actuating means therefor, coin-controlled means for rendering said actuating means operative to open or close the switch at will while credit purchased' yby the insertion ot one or more coins remains unconsumed, and. separate means also controlled by the Vcoin-controlled means ior opening said switch when the credit purchased by the coins inserted is entirely consumed,

11. ln a prepayment mechanism, a switch, a credit-purchasing mechanism, a device for operating said mechanism on the insertion of each of a plurality of eoins,. and means controlled by the mechanism tor rendering said device operative to open or close said switch so long the credit purchased bythe insertion ot the coins is not consumed.

12. ln a prepayment mechanism, a member moved away from an initial position upon the insertion oi' coins and toward said position by tin` delivery o'l the commodity for which the'coins are inserted, a switch, and moans controlled by the position oll said memb'cr iol' opening and closing said switch at will while said member is out oi said initial position.

13. lin an electric 'prepayment mechanism, a member moved l'rom an initial position upon the insertion ot' coins and returned to said position by the delivery of the commodity purchased by the coins, a switch, a mov- @come able device for moving said member away from the initial position upon the insertion of each coin up to a maximum prior'to the consumption of the con'unodity purchased by the inserted coins without opening said switch, and means connecting said device and said switch whereby the latter may be' operated by said device at will whe said member is out ot said initial position witiinont the insertion of additional coins.

14. in a prepayment mechanism, a meinber moved from an initial position upon the insertionot coins and returned to said initial position by the delivery of the commodity purchased by the coins, a movable device tor moving said member away from. the initial position upon the insertion of a second coin prior to the consumption of the commodity purchased by a previously-inserted coin or coins without opening sai d switch, and means connecting said device and said switch wherebythe latter may be operated by said device v at will while said member is out of its initial position without the insertion of additional coins.

15. In a prepayment mechanism, a switch, a credit-purchasing mechanism, means for operating the credit-piirchase means upon -the insertion ot' a coin prior to the delivery of' the commodity purchased by a previouslyinserted coin or coins without. disturbing the switch, and a connection between said means .and said switch whereby the means may be operated to open and close the switch at will without the insertion of additional coins prior to the delivery oi the commodity puzchascd by the coins already inserted.

16. in a prepayment mechanism, a switch, a coin-carrier, a credit-purchasing mechanism opcrated by the niovementoi' the coincarrier after the insertion oi' a coin trom a coin-receiving position to a coin-discharging position, and a connection between the switch and tho coin-carrier whereby said. movement alter the insertion ol the coin from the coin- 'eceiving position will cause the" switch if open to be closed and further movement of the coin-carrier will cause the switch to be opened.

17. ln a prepayment mechanism, a switch, a coin-carrier, a credit-purclmsing mechanism operatcdby the movement ol the coincarrier from a coin-receiving position to a coin-discharging position, a connection between the switch and the coin-carrier whereby said movement after the insertion of the coin from the coin-receiving position tothe coin-discharging position will; cause the switch il opcn to be closed and -further movement of the coin-carrier will cause the switch to be opened, and means preventing retrogrcssion of the coin-carrier prior to the completion oi' the movement from the coin-receiving position to the coin-discharging. position.

18. In a prepayment mechanism, a switch, a coin-carrier for actuating said switch freely movable from a c0in-discherging` position either to position in which it causes the switch to lic opened or to a coin-receivingr position, and means for preventing retrcgression of the /carrier during movement from thin coin-receivingl position to the coindischarging position.

19. In a prepayment mechanism, a switch, a coin-carrier, and a connection-between the coin-carrier and the switch whereoy the movements of the former may'operate the latter, said coin-carrier being freely movable from a coin-discharging position to a switchopening position or to a coin-receiving position.

20. In a prepayment mechanism, a switch, a coin-carrier, a credit-purchasing mechanism operated by the movement of' the coincarrier ai'ter the insertion of a coin from' a coin-receiving position to acoin-discharging position, and a connection between the switch and the carrier by means oi'which further movement of the eoincarrier will cause the switch to be opened.

21. In a prepayment mechanism, a controllingr device, a coin-carrier movable from an intermediate coin '-'discharge position either to a position in which it will actuate said controlling device in a predetermined manner, or to coin-receiving position.

22. In a prepeymeim';` mechanism, a controlling device, a coin-carrier movable from an intermediate coin discharge position either to a position in whiclrit will actuate said controlling device in a. predetermined manner; or to a coin-receiving position, and means for causing the coin-carrier to move Without retrogression Jfrom the coin-rece'ving position to the ,coin-discharging position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto my hand this 29th day or July, 1904.

JOHN n. HUBB'ELL.

l/Vitnesses BENJAMIN B. HULL, IJOHN W. TUCKER. 

